Prosecutors appeal for Bonds evidence

Federal prosecutors urged an appeals court to let them present evidence they say shows Barry Bonds knowingly used steroids, arguing Monday it was mistakenly thrown out by a trial court judge on the eve of his perjury trial earlier this year.

Among the evidence that prosecutors say is key to their case are three urine samples they say belong to Bonds and tested positive for the steroids methenolone and nandrolone. Prosecutors allege Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, collected the samples for testing at the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the headquarters of a massive sports doping ring busted by federal investigators in 2003.

In February, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston banned evidence connected to Anderson because of his refusal to testify at Bonds’ trial. Anderson has told the judge he would go to jail rather than testify.

Anderson spent more than a year in prison for previously refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Bonds.

The government filed its plea Monday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The appeal has delayed indefinitely the start of Bonds’ trial.

Short hops

Suspended slugger Manny Ramirez has dropped in the latest round of fan voting for the All-Star Game, falling to fifth among NL outfielders. Ramirez was fourth last week in the first set of results, about 24,000 votes behind the New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran for a starting spot. He is serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy. He is eligible to return July 3, 11 days before the All-Star game in St. Louis. … Cleveland Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore could need arthroscopic surgery if two more weeks of rest don’t calm his inflamed left elbow. Sizemore, an All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner out of Everett’s Cascade High School, was placed on the disabled list Sunday. He would likely not return to the lineup until late July if surgery is needed. Sizemore set career-highs last year with 33 homers, 90 RBI and 38 stolen bases. … New York Yankees officials say it would cost taxpayers more than $5 million if the team is forced to provide internal records sought by lawmakers looking into public financing of the club’s new stadium. Assemblymen Richard Brodsky, a Westchester Democrat, and James Brennan, a Brooklyn Democrat, are questioning what Brodsky claims is nearly $4 billion in financing and tax breaks over 30 years that was used to build the new ballpark. The legislators say many ticket prices have been hiked beyond the reach of fans. … St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus has been cleared to resume baseball activities in the wake of January shoulder surgery, although the best case scenario calls for a return in mid- to late July. … The Cincinnati Reds activated right-hander Edinson Volquez from the 15-day disabled list to start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

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